Swimming: A fun exercise

Swimming is great workout for the entire body. When someone is in the water, he/she feels 20 per cent of his body weight allowing him/her greater ease of movement and flexibility.

Swimming regulates heart rate, builds endurance, strengthens muscle and cardiovascular fitness gradually. Swimming also helps to burn calories and improves psychological wellbeing.

People should swim for at least 30 minutes on alternate days to gain health benefits. Children should be encouraged to take up swimming. They can swim at least three times every week.

In Dhaka city, there is little scope for swimming as the few surviving water-bodies are mostly polluted. There are some hotels and gyms that have large pools now. Most well-off families go to these pools to give their children swimming lessons.

The real estate companies can consider swimming pools in new buildings from here on.

Also, the government can plan to construct public swimming pools in densely-populated areas of the city.

Iqbal Siddique

Shajahanpur, Dhaka